Amnesia Justine: Freedom
by VeeXanya9
Summary: Years after the events of Amnesia: Justine, the three suitors-Alois, Basile, and Malo-still live, trapped, under the confines of Justine's estate. Only Abby, an 8-year-old child with a shocking ancestry, can grant them thier freedom.
1. Chapter 1

Freedom

Amnesia: Justine Fanfiction

Alois Racine. Once, a devilishly handsome racquetball player, loyal to his family above all else. When questioned about his relationship with his fiancée, Justine, he would shrug and simply state, "I'm a lover, not a fighter." A lean but strong man at the age of 21, with curly blond hair and striking blue eyes, Alois was the envy of his friends and the pride of his family. Some say he was a little too beyond loyal when it came to Justine, but the relationship went on without a hitch for quite some time. Much to his family's dismay, Alois finally left his home to live with his wealthy counterpart in her mansion. Then the trap was sprung.

It started when Justine had turned his back on him. For those _other_ suitors. One, Basile, was abusive and cruel, and used brute strength and charm to make up for what he lacked in honor. The second was Malo, a truly insane violinist, who looked upon Justine with eyes of lust and hunger, not of love. Alois could simply not let her fall to them; he attempted to save her many times. But as his attempts escalated from following to begging, and finally self-inflicted cutting to gain her attention, he began to grow hopeless.

Justine did not care for him. She didn't care for any of them. All their fates were the same, right from the beginning. They were nothing more than lab rats, trapped in her cage of lies and false promises of a future together with her chosen husband. And in the end, they all felt the cold embrace of her final trap.

Although she didn't look like it, Justine loved experimenting with human emotions, and how they could be affected by certain things. With the help of a close friend, a baron known as Alexander, she learned how to make certain supernatural potions and elixirs. One, her particular favorite, was a potion that granted longlivety and incredible strength, but at the cost of sanity and irreparable disfiguration. Also, for it to work the consumer would need to release large amounts of vitae. The only way to achieve this was through torture.

Conveniently, she had her suitors. The first to take the drink was Alois, who was given it down in the prison cells. He was the easiest to bend to the pain she inflicted, and when he swallowed the elixir, the injuries he sustained started to open and bleed fresh, never sealing, even after weeks. Justine was delighted with the results, and tried it on the next suitor, Basile. He, to, suffered the same fate.

However, Justine soon began to grow bored with the same results each time; and she very nearly met her downfall because of what she did to Malo. Malo was given a much larger dose than the last two suitors, and the effects showed. He became stronger than the last two, strong enough to break down metal. And his mentality was much more affected. The moment he swallowed the foul drink, a cruel smile spread across his lips, and his voice became predatory and harsh. "_Justine_…let me _taste_ you…"

When she saw what she had done, Justine quickly raced down to the waterlogged cellar that she was hoping to get repaired. Malo ran after her, knocking down doors and frightened servants in his way. Had she not quickly hid above water level, Malo would have caught her in a heartbeat. But hours of sneaking past, bit by bit, silently back to the entrance, was what just barely saved her in the end.

She pulled a lever by the door to the basement once she was back in her estate. Two large, metal blocks slowly pushed together, crushing a servant caught in her rope trap in the process, but also blocking the way to the door. There was no way for anyone to get out when it was blocked like that. Justine smiled-at the adrenaline she had felt during the chase, at the very, very slight twinge of emotion she felt at having the power over life and death. If only there was a way to experience it all again…

And there was. Drinking the amnesia potion given to her by Alexander, Justine went through her entire Cabinet of Perturbation, led on by recordings she left for herself. Afterwards, she swore she would never do so again. Bringing up the phonograph recording Basile's downfall to her room to make sure it would never be found, she closed herself off from the cabinet…forever.

Tears would have welled in Alois' eyes if he had them. The memories were too painful to bear. Alois pushed them aside and got up off of the floor. He had memorized the cells, so he knew exactly where to go to get food and water. Climbing up a staircase made out of boxes, the suitor maneuvered his way around the corridors until he came to a steep drop. He had made another staircase there as well.

Climbing down, Alois passed through the library and the secret corridor which led to the potato room. When he entered the room, he could feel the warmth from the candles suddenly die out. An angry voice sounded from inside. "Justine!" It said, and a monstrosity very similar to Alois in appearance shambled forth with surprising quickness. "No Basile, it's just me coming to get some food," replied Alois.

Basile grunted disappointedly and tossed Alois a potato. "Pity. I thought something exciting would happen today," he said, and the two suitors sat down together. "…I heard a mouse today." "Alois, we _always_ hear mice. It's nothing new," replied Basile, biting into his potato. "Well, there is _nothing_ else to do in here! We can't even play I-Spy because-" "DON'T SAY IT!" Basile quipped. He hated it when the other suitors mentioned their…predicament.

Alois punched him playfully in the shoulder. "You've always been too sensitive." "Yeah, well you've always been too forgiving." The two suitors paused, then turned to each other and laughed. "Remember when we used to hate each other?" said Alois, who would have flashed a smile if his mouth wasn't perpetually frozen in place. It was a wonder the suitors could even talk.

"Yeah. No offense, but you were an annoying little brat." The suitors were always brutally honest with each other. "I'm just glad you got over that ridiculous infatuation with…*shudders*…she-who-shall-not-be-named." Alois looked down sadly. He had never truly abandoned his love for her, but he wasn't about to let Basile know that. At least he wasn't crazy enough to want to keep her body down here with him forever anymore. And he was a bit angry at her. "Seriously, what was I thinking?" he said. Before Basile could respond, there was a furious banging on the door.

Basile got up and ran to the door. A heavily French accented voice came from the other side. "Basile, its Malo! I've got a surprise!" Basile smiled inwardly; Malo's 'surprises' were almost always something good. He swung open the door, and another bestial man-identical to Alois and Basile-rushed in. "Is Alois here? Oh boy, this may just be one of my best!" he said, and pushed Basile out of the way. Basile simply laughed as Malo started to ready his violin in the middle of the potato room. Alois and Basile looked on excitedly. Malo began his little monologue.

"Gentlemen! I give you…New Song! Sorry, I'm running out of titles." Malo bowed deeply and began to play. The violinist hit each note pitch-perfect, having plenty of time to practice in the sewer. It was truly a masterpiece. The song was long, to, and the effort that Malo had put into it was obvious. Malo finally concluded after nearly ten minutes, his hands raw. Basile and Alois clapped, and Malo bowed deeply.

"Defiantly one of your best!" said Alois. "Now, aren't you glad I got your violin back from the cells?" Malo sat down on a potato sack. "Alright, I suppose so. How many times do I have to apologize for that?" "You tried to _eat_ us!" "Yeah yeah, water under the bridge. Let it go." While Basile hated mentioning the present, Malo wanted to avoid his more cannibalistic past. "It's not like I'm proud of it, I went insane! That's what happens when you stick an eccentric genius-" "_Eccentric genius, _he says," Alois whispered to Basile. Malo simply _hmph_ed and proceeded to gnaw on his own fingers.


	2. Chapter 2

Freedom 2

Amnesia: Justine Fanfic

Abby looked down at the floor of the old estate. She could have sworn that she heard something below, almost like…music. Her parents heard it to, and looked around nervously. Abby's mom clutched her hand tighter. "Honey, doesn't this place give you the creeps?" said Mrs. Iraleth Florbelle, Abby's mom. Abby shook her head. "I think it's cool. It's really big, and we have it aaalll to ourselves!" she cheered, running towards a large bed. "Mommy, can I have this one?" Mrs. Florbelle smiled faintly. "We'll see."

Her husband, Mr. Johnson, looked around at the pictures. "So, you inherited all this, dear? I must say, it's much better than our apartment in New Jersey…" The seller tapped his foot impatiently. Mr. Johnson turned to him. "We'll take it." "Wonderful!" said the seller. "Now, we're going to have to discuss some repairs, landscaping…oh!" The seller suddenly became very serious.

"You really should heed these words, Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Florbelle. The basement is off-limits to everybody, even you. Your great-great grandmother, Justine, made it clear in her will that she wanted nobody in there. And as for you, child," he said, looking down at Abby, "In case you're getting any ideas, they say that there are monsters down there. Boo!" Abby squealed and hid behind her mom's leg.

"Now, that's enough! There's no reason to scare my daughter. We're taking the house," the mother said, and the seller handed her the keys. "I mean it, though. You wouldn't go in there if you know what's good for you," he muttered ominously one last time, then walked out. Mrs. Florbelle rolled her eyes. "Abby, why don't you look around? Me and Daddy are gonna go unpack."

Abby nodded nervously, and her mother kissed her on her forehead. "Don't worry, hon. There are no monsters here. He was just kidding." Abby thought about the music they all heard earlier, and wasn't too sure about that. As her parents walked out, Abby wandered around the house. It was a huge estate, with bits and baubles in every room. The entire palace was adorned with beautiful trimmings and detailed statues and furniture.

"I should invite Kim over one day," whispered Abby to herself, looking up at an exquisite chandelier on the ceiling. "She would be sooo jelous. My great-great-great grandma sure was rich," she muttered, gazing out the window to the streets below. Glancing to her left, Abby noticed a portrait of a young Victorian girl with curly black hair.

"Wow, she looks just like me!" said Abby, walking over to the picture. "Well, except for the eyes, maybe." Indeed, the eyes in the portrait stared forward coldly. Abby felt as though they were watching her, or judging her. She backed away, shuddering. "Well, that's creepy." She wandered the halls of the mansion for some time, taking in all the sights of her new home.

Suddenly, Abby stopped short again. She was sure of it this time. There were noises coming from the basement! Tensely, she put her ear to the ground and closed her eyes, listening hard. She could barely hear some short snippets of speech, all the voices diluted by strange echoing sounds. _'…eccentric genius, he says…potatoes getting old…hate the cells…'_

The voices sent shivers down her spine, and she stood up quickly. Breathing heavily, the child backed up against the tall white wall. The doorbell rang and Abby jumped, but she reluctantly ran over and opened the front door. Her parents stumbled in, carrying heavy bags of luggage and moving supplies. "So, honey, how do you like the new house?"

"There are…there are voices down there! In the basement, I swear I heard them!" Mrs. Florbelle shook her head and frowned. "Rats. I knew there was a catch! Well, it's a good thing we brought some pest spray." "But…but…" Abby stammered, trying to catch her mom's attention. But her efforts were in vain. "Don't worry hon. We'll knock 'em out." She rubbed Abby's head and dumped the luggage on the floor.

Abby's dad heaved her onto his shoulders. Normally, Abby would have squealed with joy, but now she stared forward silently. She knew that they wouldn't believe her about the voices. "You seem awful quiet today, dear. Come on, cheer up! This house is way better that that old, ratty room, right?" She nodded silently. Mr. Johnson gave his daughter a little piggy-back ride up the stairs and to her room.

"This is where you'll be staying, Ab!" Abby, wide-eyed, looked around the huge room. A queen-sized bed lay at the far right, up against a wall. On the floor was a large rug weaved with intricate patterns. In the far left corner was a device that she didn't recognize. Her father put her down and walked up to it. "Hey, I know what this is! It's an old phonograph! People back in the 1800s used to use them for recordings and stuff. Let's see what it says…"

He spun the crank, but no noise came from the phonograph. "Huh, I guess the cylinder is missing. Abby, if you can find a…well, a cylinder, we might be able to find out what this says. Keep your eyes open, 'kay? Abby nodded. These kind of mysteries were more her style then monster hunting.

A few hours passed, and Abby heard nothing more of the voices. It began to grow dark outside, and her parents tucked her into the new bed and kissed her goodnight, then left for their own room. Abby could not sleep. She was positive, absolutely positive, that something was here. And if her parents wouldn't believe her, than she would have to deal with it herself. Shivering, Abby pulled the covers over her head when she heard splashing downstairs. _Come on, buck up Abby! _she thought to herself, and slowly peeked her head out of the covers.

After a few more minutes, the girl couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing a lantern on an exquisite end table, Abby got out of bed and ran down the stairs. She pressed her ear to the ground again. She could hear some gentle splashing and breathing, but no voices. Frustrated, Abby went down another flight of stairs which led to a wooden door. It didn't age well, and she easily opened it. She was lucky it didn't fall off of its hinges and wake her parents.

Smiling, Abby entered another room. She placed her hand on a lever next to her by accident, and it instantly dropped. Suddenly, two enormous stone walls moved away from each other, revealing the rest of the room-and the door it hid. Had she looked up, she would have seen a skeleton hanging from the ceiling. But she pressed onward past the stone walls that had opened, unbolting the weak wooden door. Taking a deep breath, the little girl opened it.

…..

Back when Abby had pressed her ear to the ground the first time, the suitors below had heard strange noises as well. When the luggage was spilled, it was too loud to ignore. Basile shushed the other two suitors and pointed upwards.

"…Did you hear that?" he said, heart pounding. Alois nodded. "Yes, I heard it to." "But how? The house has been abandoned for years!" yelled Malo. Basile shook his head, unsure and uneasy. Alois' face lit up. "Guys…we can call for help! We're saved! We can finally leave this hellhole!" Before Alois could shout 'help', Basile put a bloody hand over his mouth.

"Wait. We aren't sure who these people are; we aren't sure how they'll react to three random people in the ground." Basile whispered. When Basile thought of this, however, he did not think of how they might react to their overall appearance. The blind suitors had no notion of how monstrous they looked. "We need to wait and listen. Take this nice and slow."

The trio waited and listened, hoping that these people were good. Alois heard the best out of all of them, and pointed out individual voices and words. "There are two adults and a child. There were three adults before, but one left. The others are settling in. I think they're going to live here!" he whispered in excitement. They all smiled inwardly.

After hours of waiting, Malo finally got up. "I'm getting tired, and so are they. They'll be here tomorrow. I'm going back to the water room for some sleep." Alois got up to. "Yeah, I'm going back to the cells. It's late. G'night, Basile, Malo." Basile nodded and walked over to some potato sacks arranged in the shape of a bed. He lay down, exhausted.

As Malo splashed through the water, he thought he heard a faint rumbling in the distance-like gears turning. _Must be my imagination,_ he thought groggily, and plopped down in the center of the room, sleeping instantly.


	3. Chapter 3

Freedom 3

Amnesia: Justine Fanfic

Abby, lantern in hand, put one foot tentatively into the dark room. Taking a deep breath, she took a few more quick steps inside. She held up the lantern to see a picture of three men by the doorway she just entered, and another picture of a young girl above it where the ink had all but faded away. Abby continued to walk down the narrow hallway, when she passed by a message written in chalk: _Plummet through the ancient city. _The message disturbed her, but she pressed on.

Words written in blood began to appear before the light of the lantern. Abby closed her eyes and began to walk briskly, then started running. The eerie phrases whizzed by her face, and she couldn't stop running, wishing it would all end. '…it pleases me…the skinless one is walking…spin the wheels crank the engine…' she could see all the horrible, blood written words that she was attempting to escape, feeling as though they could reach out and pull her back.

Finally, Abby made it to the end of the labyrinth, but she didn't stop running. Bodies and graves were scattered all around her. A tall, angelic statue brought up a memory as she passed it. "…What was mother like?" said one young girl's voice. "She was the most beautiful creature to ever grace this world," said another, older man's voice. The young girl spoke again. "I can't remember what she looked like, no matter how hard I try." "Her beauty was blinding, Justine. We could never dare to chain such memory to our minds. It would be too much to bear."

Abby had a feeling that this was a memory from long, long ago, but beyond that she did not try to make sense of it. She ran up to a regal-looking door and pulled it open, eager to get away from the horrifying crypt. Panting, the girl found herself ankle-deep in filthy water. Too scared to go back, she kept walking forward, holding up the lantern. A huge metal door opened with a groan as she pulled on a lever.

Abby was about to keep going when she immediately bumped into something fleshy and damp. Abby, shaking, looked up to see what could only be described as a monster. In the place of its eyes were black voids that bled horribly. Its mouth, another void, hung open like a dead fish. The beast's entire body was covered in grotesque scars and chains, with a prominent red X across its chest. Lastly, a wheel was fastened tightly around its crushed and bleeding neck, glistening sickly in the dim light of the lantern.

Abby couldn't move or breathe. She dropped the lantern and backed up slowly. All that could be heard in the empty place was the monster's terrible wheezing. Then, just as she was sure she would faint, it spoke. The monster's voice came out in a ghostly whisper not from its mouth, but by some other paranormal means, "…Bonjour, madam! I thought I heard something." Abby, shocked and frightened, fell to the ground and fainted.

….

"So she just…came down here? Why? How?" said Basile to Malo. Malo dragged the girl over to the potato sack bed and dropped her down on it. "I think she opened the door…you know, the one Justine trapped us behind when she escaped." "But how did she do that?" said Basile questioningly. "It's unbreakable; we've all tried, and we're a hundred times stronger than this girl!"

"I'm not sure…" mumbled Malo, when Alois blurted out, "I'm more concerned as to what she was doing in the estate in the first place! What if…what if… " Basile shot him a fierce glare. Alois was always so dramatic.

Malo, meanwhile, was crouching over the girl, trying to coax her awake. He sighed at the other two, but couldn't help the feeling of excitement welling up in his chest. "C'mon, kid, wakey wakey…stay like this any longer and Basile will be going at his throat…"

….

After a few tense minutes, Abby began to stir. She felt the weight of a hand pressed on her chest, but was too groggy to make it out. Blinking slowly, Abby opened her eyes to see Malo's monstrous face looming down on her. "Hey, kid! Finally awa-" "AAAHHH!" Abby screamed and struggled to get out of Malo's grip. Malo simply held her tighter and put his hand over her mouth. "Arretez ca! You need to listen!" Abby continued to kick and struggle until she slipped out of Malo's grip and stumbled right into Alois, who grabbed her arm.

"Calm down, girl! We aren't going to let you go until you stop struggling!" Abby continued fighting furiously to escape, but soon realized her efforts were in vain. Panting and teary, she looked up at Malo. "P-please don't kill me! Please don't eat me! I'm sorry I c-came in here, I'll never ever come in here again, I promise! I'll get my parents to m-move, I just don't want to die!"

"Kill you? _Eat_ you? Now, why would we do that?" said Malo gently, though not without some humor in his voice. Ah, memories. "We're not monsters, dear. Granted, we didn't mean to scare you that badly, but-" "Wait, you're not monsters? Wha-y-yes you are! You have claws, and no eyes, a-and you don't talk with your mouths, and-" Malo put a firm hand on her shoulder. "Trust us, girl. We won't harm you. Calm down."

Abby's breathing started to slow, and she was starting to piece things together in her head. However, she still couldn't bring herself to look directly at Malo, and turned her head to the side. Basile snickered," Wow, Malo, you made a little girl cry just by looking at her. Give yourself a round of applause, you ugly thing, you."

"Tais-toi, Basile! Apparently, you're no better off. She meant all of us," Malo retorted. "…Do we really look like that to you, child?" he asked Abby in a more serious tone. She nodded slightly. "Well? Don't be afraid to speak up." Abby was confused at first, but then she remembered that they didn't have eyes; they couldn't have seen her nod. She was comforted by the fact that they were bound to some laws of physics.

"Oh…yeah. Yes, defiantly. I-I thought you knew..." Alois sighed, letting go of her arm and putting his hands in front of his face. "Wow. I know that we're no prize after living down here for who-knows-how long, but I had no idea that we looked like something out of a child's nightmares!"

"Sorry," Abby mumbled. Malo shook his head. "It's no problem. So, who are you?" "Well, who are you? I'm sure your story is better than mine," said Abby, trying to lighten the mood and take away some of her fear. All three suitors laughed. "Trust us, its way too long and a bit too…mature for someone your age. Let's just say we were…cursed, by a…witch. Yes, let's go with that."

She was content with this for now. "Well, my name is Abby Florbell-" Malo's grip on her shoulder suddenly tightened. Alois and Basile started to breath heavily. "Abby…what?" said Basile in an angry tone. She started to sweat, knowing she had said something wrong. "Um, uh…F-Florbelle-" "I suggest you leave as soon as possible…_Florbelle!_"


	4. Chapter 4

Amnesia Justine: Freedom 4

Malo and Alois turned to Basile slowly. In an instant, the light expression on his hollow face was wiped away. His eyelids were squinted threateningly, and he was breathing much more rapidly than before. "Now, Basile…I'm sure we can work this out…" quivered Malo, holding onto a struggling Abby with minimal effort. (Don't run, he'll only kill you quicker) he thought, shaking.

Basile seemed not to hear him. One lumbering step towards Abby. Saliva started to drip from his lips, twisted in a grimace of mutual hate. Alois tried to catch him by surprise from behind, to snap him out of his trance, but Basile simply whipped back in the blink of an eye and raked him harshly across the head. Alois fell to the ground, and Basile turned back just as quick as before. Another step forward.

"Basile, calm yourself!" said Malo more harshly. Basile turned his head to him for a moment, staring down threateningly into Malo's black voids. In response, the other suitor jumped to his feet, grinding his teeth-made sharp with years of brutality-in anticipation. For what seemed like minutes, the creatures stood, staring, neither showing any signs of faltering. Abby could do nothing but watch as her life hung in the delicate balance.

Suddenly, Basile lunged at Abby, diving to the side with a hoarse roar. Malo caught him by the wheel just as Basile was about to rip her head off. The beast's claws sliced through thin air as he was pulled back quickly. Malo tossed him with as much strength as he could muster, sending Basile soaring through the air until he collided forcefully with the wall.

Abby quickly grew worried and was about to run to Basile's aid when Malo stuck a hand out in front of her. "What are you doing? Get to the shadows-quick!" "But there's no way he could have survived a collision like that without an inju-" Well, you don't know us! Just get to a hiding spot!" spat Malo, trying to be as intimidating as possible. It worked. Abby rushed to an alcove filled with empty potato sacks and squeezed herself into a corner. She watched, wide-eyed and terrified, as Basile rose and shook off debris from the wall.

Malo had disappeared in no time. Basile, an enraged demon, began to patrol the room, his footsteps hasty and heavy. "I will find you…I will KILL you, cunt…" Abby turned her head to the side-just glancing made her dizzy-when she saw another strange occurrence. A row of phantoms, all hiding with the same amount of fear she had, were all crouching in the niche.

They were all clothed in aprons or suits and dresses. Eyes wide and chests heaving, each of them looked filled with terror. But then she saw a last figure, a black-haired woman. She was smiling back at the other phantoms, and there was an unmistakable hint of madness in her eyes. When she spoke, it was heavily accented, almost fake,"…Ah, you can always count on my staff to get the job done. Clarice sure is doing better than I expected. But poor, poor Antoine. I'm surprised he made it this far…"

Just then, one of the well-suited men finally broke. He ran out of the niche, straight into the path of a phantom of Basile. Basile ran at him, and Antoine made the mistake of looking back. The suitor was on him immediately, bringing him down with one hit. The phantom woman laughed hysterically. Abby, absolutely horrified, turned to the wall. (Don't faint, don't faint! That's exactly what he wants…he'll be able to catch you…) She heard footsteps coming her way, hasty and heavy. Raspy breaths. "Yes, keep making those sounds…"

(Don't look…don't faint…) He was at the niche. (Don't do it…) He paused. (Don't…) He was right beside her. (Do-) "AAAAAHHHHH!" Abby screamed to the top of her lungs, and Basile smirked behind her. "I have you now!" he shouted, raising a chained, bloody hand. Suddenly, the breath was knocked out of him. Malo stood atop the downed suitor, throwing down punches and scratches with such force it made even Basile cringe in agony.

Abby felt a tap on her shoulder. "AH!" she shouted, and turned hastily around to see Alois staring back at her. "Come on, I'm gonna get you out of here!" he said, then without so much as a warning, hauled Abby onto his shoulders and took off for the water room. Abby clung tight to the wheel, unable to reach the other side of his neck for support, and held on for dear life.

Alois was running back the way they had come, ankle-deep in the filthy water. Only this time, it was a bit different. She saw phantoms again, only with much more haste than they had in the potato room. Some were carrying cogs across the room at full speed, some were pulling down levers or spinning cranks, and one unfortunate soul was curled in a ball in the corner of a waterlogged room. Alois sprinted quickly through a narrow hallway. Phantoms ran by at full speed, sweat dripping down their foreheads, screaming at the top of their lungs. She didn't turn around to see what it was, but heard some gnawing and psychotic laughter behind them. It sent a chill up her spine, and she closed her eyes tightly. Alois ran through the crypt, and despite his blindness, managed to weave around the obstacles in their way.

"I know this place like the back of my hand, Abby. Don't worry, were almost at the exit," said Alois, leaping over a large grave. When the pair made it to the open doorway at the end, Alois came to a sudden halt and dropped Abby unceremoniously. "Um, thank you, mister…mister…" "Alois. Now go! Don't worry, Malo can handle Basile, just focus on getting…"

Alois' voice trailed off as he appeared to stare out the door to the hallway. Warm light trickled out of the open passage. For a moment, his facial expression took on the same primal nature as that of Basile's when he realized the truth about Abby. But when a loud roar sounded from the depths of the labyrinth, he was snapped out of his trance. "Come back tomorrow night. I can't go up there with you…I need to help Malo."

Without another word, Alois bounded off into the darkness, leaving Abby alone with the lever that had closed the stone walls. (This is my chance! I could pull it right now, and trap those monsters down there! I'll never have to see them again!) thought Abby. But for some reason, when she reached for the switch, she felt something hold her back. Abby stood before the lever for a full minute before finally giving up and running upstairs to her room, overcome by a feeling she could not name.

…

"Well, do we have to go through this again?" questioned Malo, standing above a defeated Basile. Basile crouched on the floor, sweaty and exhausted, a bloody mess. Alois walked up to him. "That was awfully stupid, what you did there. Why would you, of all people, completely lose your head like that!" The defeated suitor turned his head up, panting. "Because…*pant pant*…that girl…*pant pant*…is HER spawn!"

"She's not a demon seed, she's just a little girl!" said Malo, clenching his fists. "And you should be completely ashamed for trying to KILL her, of all things!" Basile simply shook his head. "I was just trying to scare her away…besides, she would have betrayed us all in the end. That's what those wretched Florbelles do!" Alois knelt before him to speak at 'eye' level. "Give her a chance, Basile. She's young, she probably doesn't even know about her ancestor's actions. I told her to come back tomorrow night, anyway, so you'd better get your act together by then."

"WHAT?" shouted Basile, leaping to his feet. "Are you insane? She'll…she'll…" The other suitors simply waited quietly as Basile's voice trailed off. "…*sigh*, I guess…I guess you're right. We'll need her to inform us of what's going on in the world, and how to blend." Malo nodded. "I understand that her family has done things, Basile. And I understand that you mistrust her for a reason. I'll admit that I don't want to do this either…but we need to compromise. We can't just pass an opportunity like this up." He reached out his hand to Basile. "Are you with us on this, ami?"

The tired suitor hesitated at first, staring down at the hand as though it would bite back. After a few long seconds, however, he finally put his hand on top of Malo's, palm down. "I suppose it's worth a try…" Alois put his on top of Basile's. "If it brings us any closer to a normal life again, I'm in." Malo took a long breath. "We are going to escape; we are going to live, at any cost. And so begins, gentlemen, the end to our search for freedom."


	5. Chapter 5

Amnesia Justine: Freedom 5

Abby couldn't sleep. She pulled the covers over her head, tossing and turning, quietly moaning into her pillow. She was trapped: when she looked to the side of her bed, she saw Basile, crouching, ready to strike; when Abby closed her eyes, she saw his evil face waiting for her to come into his clutches.

Under any other circumstance, Abby would have just called for mom or dad; where they would comfort her, and tell her everything would be fine. But this time she did not want them to find out about her fears. She knew everything was not fine, and she was past comforting. (I should have just stayed upstairs; I should have never gone down there!) she thought repeatedly, rocking back and forth. (Should have locked the door on them…w-what if they come up and eat me?) Genuinely terrified of the prospect, Abby couldn't help but scream into her blanket. "I-I've got to g-get-"

"Oh, shut up."

Startled, the girl jumped up in her bed from the ghostly noise. The room had grown cold, and she felt as though there were someone beside her. "Sorry, dear, but I needed to show you a bit of tough love there. I couldn't stand seeing you cry like that," said the voice with a humorous edge. "W-who are you? Alois?" questioned Abby. The voice sounded vaguely familiar and friendly, but she was sure it was nobody in her family. Alois was the only person she could think of; however, the voice scoffed at this idea. "Him? Ha ha, no. Just a friend, sweetie…just a friend."

"A-are you a ghost?" stammered Abby. "Hm…yes, I suppose you could say that. Don't worry, dear, I'm here to help you out. You're safe with me," replied the ghost in a soothing voice. Abby fell back on the bed, her eyes on the ceiling. "First monsters, now ghosts. Wooonderful!" "Oh, don't worry, Abby. You've just been through a lot tonight," cooed the ghost. The girl considered asking it how it knew her name, but decided that she didn't want to know. A feeling of comfort enveloped her suddenly.

"Go to them tomorrow. They could use your companionship," the voice whispered. "B-but…h-he tried to-" "I know, I know. But I have a hunch Basile will not attempt it again, hm?" (Basile…so that's its name, huh?) thought Abby. (It seems too…calm.) "For now, though…" a wave of drowsiness passed over Abby, and she yawned, blinking her eyes shut.

"Just sleep…"

"Remind me, why do we need this kid to get out again? We could just walk right out on our own now, if we wanted to," said Alois, hitting a racquetball against his cell wall. Malo was sitting next to him, tuning his violin. "And what would happen if we did, huh? How would we avoid frightening civilians? They'd think us demons! How are we supposed to find our way around blind? How would we know how to act in this new age? We're like newborns, Alois! We're lost in this world. She is a guide. Facile." "But she's what, eight? We're pinning our hopes on a child, Malo!" shouted Basile, pacing the room outside of Alois' cell. He kicked over a box in his way with such force that it sailed across the room and collided with the stone wall, where it shattered.

Alois and Malo tensed up and snapped their heads to the noise out of habit, then relaxed after a few seconds. "Because, Basile" said Malo, twirling his bowstring, "We've got nobody else. Can you imagine if an adult came down here? Oi, they wouldn't hesitate to trap us down here forever! I know I wouldn't hesitate!" he shouted, and jumped up. "I mean, do you remember when the servants were trapped down here? Remember how they reacted to us?"

"Malo! I thought we would not speak of that again!" yelled Basile. "What are you getting all worked up about?" Malo turned his head towards him and realized that he was panting heavily. He sighed and slumped down again. "Sorry, I lost myself. I just…I just want this to work. Really badly. We need to take precautions." Basile opened his mouth to say more but Alois, on instinct, tapped his shoulder for silence. The three waited as Basile and Alois looked over at Malo, who had his face buried in his hands.

"…I'm not going through that again, Basile. I just won't." Malo turned his chair around and started playing a loud tune before his companions could say any more.

"Rise and shine, hon!"

"Ah!" Abby opened her eyes to see her parents smiling over her. "Did you sleep well in the new house, darling?" said her mom. "Uh, yeah! Yep. Nothing to worry about. Had a great time sleeping! Oh, yeah, I was out like a log as soon as you left the room! Hehe…" Abby glanced up at her parents nervously. They had puzzled expressions on their faces.

"Really? It usually takes you a while to get to bed," inquired her father. "W-well, uh, you see-" "Honey, if you were nervous, you can tell us. It's fine," said her mother, running her fingers through her daughter's dark hair. "Oh. Well, I-I was a _little _scared, I guess," stammered Abby. She looked up at her parents and, seeing the confusion in their eyes, ran through some options in her head for ways to change the subject.

"Um…breakfast! Yeah, time to eat! _Now_!" Abby scrambled out of bed and ran to the door of her room, gesturing her parents out. "Alright, honey," said her mother, walking to the exit. "Do you want waffles, or-" "Waffles! Great! Fantastic! You go make 'em! OK bye!" Before they could say anything else, she slammed the door shut on them listened for their footsteps. When she heard nothing, Abby slumped down against the wall and groaned.

"Perfect. Just perfect!" she mumbled while slipping on her day clothes, which consisted of a loose t-shirt and shorts. She wasn't going anywhere in the middle of summer, after all. Besides, she was remarkably sweaty this morning. Checking herself in a large mirror on the far side of the room framed with golden wolf carvings, Abby saw why her parents were so concerned. She was a total wreck! Her normally well-kept hair was frizzing out and wet with water from the cellar, she was covered in splotches of dirt, and there were faint clawlike marks on her back. She assumed that monster-Basile, was it's name-must have grazed her at some point.

After running a comb through her hair (no small task), she went to the bathroom and splashed her face with some water. As she was heading down the stairs, a loud scream sounded from the kitchen, and there was a distinct clatter. (Ohnonononono! Basile _did_ get out!) thought Abby as she bolted into the kitchen. "No! Wait! Basile, don-oh…" Her mom was looking down at the floor as a dark shape scurried across into a hole. With one last flash of a scaly tail it disappeared. "R-r-RAT! Big-big rat! Ugh!" Abby's mom was squeezed up against the wall, taking in short, quick breaths."

"Oh, good. Just a rat," sighed Abby, when her mom gave her a spiteful look. "Just a rat? Abby, that thing was filthy! Look at the trail of mud it made in the kitchen!" she shouted, pointing down at the brown streak which cut across the clean checkered floor and down the velvet-lined stairs. "I think it leads to the basement. That's it-I'm sending Dave to go down there as soon as he gets home!" "No! You can't send dad!" yelled Abby, getting another confused look from her mom. "Um, I mean, uh…I'll do it!" Her mom chuckled and began to calm down. "Honey, I'm not sending you down there by yourself. What has gotten into you, hm? You weren't nearly this nervous when we told you we were moving."

Before Abby could answer, her mom pulled a cellphone out of her pocket and began to call her husband. Sighing, the girl walked away and slumped down on a huge plush couch. It was so dusty with age that she coughed when she sat on it, but very comfortable. (Great, now I'm gonna have to get three blind monsters out of dad's sight before he gets home. Oh, and one is murderous. Perfect, just perfect.) Putting her head to the couch, Abby once again heard a loud noise coming from below, which she could distinguish as a violin.

"Shut up already!" she cried. Her mom ran into the living room to see what the matter was, looking worried. Abby gave an awkward little smile and, as her mom walked out again, buried her face in her hands. (What am I gonna do?)


End file.
